Venom extractor



Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNETED STTES Claims.

This invention relates to a device for mechanically extracting venom incases of snake bites, and the object of the invention is to provide asimple compact device which can be readily carried in field or woods,and which permits the quick and eificient removal of venom when occasionrequires.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter indicated, having means adapted to efficiently contact largeor small areas where the bite may occur, as for instance, on fingers orthe larger limbs or body.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved structureassuring constantly eficient operation of the device, regardless of longperiods of nonuse.

Further objects will more particularly appear in the course of thefollowing detailed description.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement andcombinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described andclaimed.

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof, inwhich like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a small scale perspective of the complete unit;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section view through the assembled device;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective showing the container top with thecap removed and the pump in position;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section view through the pump;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross-section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4;and

Figure 6 is a transverse cross-section taken on line 68 of Figure 4.

In accordance with the present invention a cylindrical container Ihaving one end closed, is provided, the same being formed near its openend with oppositely disposed bayonet joint slots 2-2. A cap 3 isprovided for the container I adapted to telescopically embrace the openend of the latter, and having oppositely disposed inwardly directed pins44 arranged to co-act with the bayonet slot 2-2 to secure the cap inposition.

The pump arrangement consists of a cylinder 6 having an integral endwall 8, the outer portion of the cylindrical wall adjacent the end 8being beveled as at 9 and said end formed with a central cup-likeorifice l0 surrounded by an annular groove ll having one of its Wallsbeveled as at i2. The end wall 8 is further provided with an inwardlydirected stud I3 formed on its inner end with a seat for a washer l4surrounding a bore which communicates with I the cavity it and providesa sliding support for a valve stem 56 having on its inner end a head H,the head being beveled concavely on the side adjacent the valve stem, asindicated at i3, to provide an annular knife edge to engage the washerM. A washer IQ is positioned on the outer end of valve stem It, beingsecured thereon by a transverse pin 28 and a compression spring 2! isinterposed between the bottom of cavity It and washer is to maintainvalve head i! in normal engagement with washer M.

The open end of cylinder 6 is externally threaded to receive theinternally threaded cap 25, which cap is provided with an inwardlydirected conical stud 26 having a central orifice 27 in which isslidable a piston rod 28. The inner wall of cylinder 6 adjacent stud 2'8is beveled as at 22 to form with said stud a conical chamber adapted toexpand a cup washer 3! which is carried on the inner end of piston rod28 between flat washers 3Ei-3ll on a reduced portion of said rod, all ofsaid washers being secured on said red as by a nut 32.

A compression spring 33 bears at one end against the outer washer 33 ofthe piston, while its other end seats over the projection I3 and thisspring operates normally to force the piston with its cup washer towardcap 25 whereon each stroke of the piston it will be noted the cup washeris expanded to a diameter slightly larger/ than the inner wall of thecylinder 6, thus assure" ing a continuous tight fit and perfect suctionregardless of nonuse of the device over long periods.

An adapter element 35 is provided with two bores of substantiallydifferent diameter, the larger bore having an annular beveled wall 35adapted to frictionally engage the outer beveled portion 9 of cylinder6, while the smaller bore 31 has its outer wall beveled as at 38 andadapted to frictionally engage the beveled wall l2 of the annular grooveH when the adapter is reversed from the position shown in Figure 4, oras illustrated in Figure 2.

It will be apparent from the consideration of Figures 2 and 4 that thepump elements can with this adapter be used with either the large borein cases where the bite occurs on relatively large portions of the body,or can be used with the small bore where the bite occurs on a finger orother small part of the body.

A tourniquet tape 4| is conveniently coiled on a small bobbin andadapted to be received within the larger bore 35 of the adapter whichwill also accommodate a capsule 40 of some suitable antiseptic. A smalllancet 45 can be accommodated within container I along with the pump.

When the pump element is positioned in container l with the adapter endat the bottom as illustrated in Figure 2, it will be noted that toposition the cap the piston must be depressed, thus compressing spring33 so that when cap 3 is then engaged by means of the bayonet slots 22the piston end 39 will engage the inner wall of cap 3 and exert an outerpressure thereon, thus securely locking the cap against accidentaldisengagement and preventing any rattling of the pump element in thecontainer.

Preferably, the adapter 35 will be formed of glass or other transparentmaterial, so that venom extracted by operation of the pump element withaccompanying blood can be Visible and the pump removed and theaccumulated blood and venom released as occasion requires.

In operation, where a person is bitten by a poisonous snake, the pumpelement and lancet 45 will be removed from the container, together withthe capsule of disinfectant 40 and bobbin of tourniquet tape 4|. Thetourniquet will be immediately applied between the bite and the heart,to stop circulation of the venom toward the heart and the areasurrounding the bite will be sterilized with the antiseptic from capsule40.

With the lancet 45 incisions will be made direct-v ly at the bite andwith the adapter 35 positioned on the end of cylinder 6 to bestaccommodate itself to the particular location of the bite, the pistonrod 28 will berapidly reciprocated, thus producing a substantial suctionfor drawing blood and venom from the incisions. The cup washer will haveuniform close adhesion to the cylinder wall 6 and the valve IE willoperate to permit the passage of air upwardly into the cylinder on eachstroke.

Various modifications in the precise construction and arrangement of theparts will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art butwithin the scope of the present invention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Venom extractor comprising a closed cylinder, a piston and piston rodreciprocable in the cylinder having a cup washer engaging the walls ofthe cylinder, a valve controlled port at one end of the cylinder and awasher expanding element at the other end of the cylinder.

2. Venom extractor comprising a cylinder, a piston and piston rodreciprocable in the cylinder having a cup washer adapted to expandinglyengage the cylinder wall, a valve controlled port at one end of thecylinder, a cap engaging the other end of the cylinder, the cap providedwith an inwardly extending conical projection having a central bore forthe piston rod, the cylinder having its inner wall adjacent saidprojection outwardly beveled to form with said projection an outwardlyflaring seat for the cup washer to expand same, substantially asspecified.

3. Venom extractor comprising a closed cylinder, a piston reciprocablein the cylinder, a valve controlled port at one end of the cylinder, anadapter having difierential bores with tapered walls, the cylinder beingformed at its valve end with tapered seats adapted to interchangeablyengage the tapered walls of the adapter.

4. Venom extractor comprising a cylinder, closure means at one end ofthe cylinder forming with the adjacent cylinder Wall a conical chamberto expand a cup washer, a piston carrying a cup Washer, reciprocable inthe cylinder, a port in the opposite end of the cylinder a washer seatformed around the inner end of the port, a valve having a stemreciprocable in the port and a head on its inner end formed with anannularly beveled edge adapted to engage a washer in the washer seat andspring means operative on the valve stem to maintain the valve headagainst said washer.

5. The device of claim 2 with a compression spring operative on thepiston to eject the piston rod from the cylinder, and a containeradapted to receive the cylinder with its piston rod in its innermostposition, a. closure for the container, and interlocking means betweenthe container and closure comprising slot and pin connectios held lockedby the outward pressure of the piston rod.

PAUL W. SAUNDERS.

